Electric clock



April 28, 1931- E. L. cARLsoN 1,802,333

ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed June 5, 1929 Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNiTED `s'rarif:s PATENT i ori-*ics ELOF L. CARLSON, OF BRIS-T011, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO INGRAHAM'CO., OF y BRESTOL, CONNECTICUT, A` CORPORATION ELECTRIC 4CLOCK This invention relates to improvementin electric clocks ofthe type in which the driving-S ring is eriodicall and-automaticall energized and relates in particular to the means employed for controlling the closing of the circuit to effect such energlzation.

^ The object of my invention is toprovide an electric clocl: of the type described with simple reliable and effective means for causing'the contact-sto close with great rapidity so that arcing is minimized.

' TWith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in an electric clock having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and particularlyrecited in the claim. 1n the accompanying drawings: l Fig. 1 is a view in rear elevation of the driving-mechanism of an electric clock equipped with my improved circuit-control-` ling mechanism, the parts being shown in the positions due them when the contacts are in engagement for energizing the magnet; iFig. 2 is a view -thereof in side-edge elevation; Y

Fig. 3 is atop or plan view thereof;

` Fig; 4 is a vview corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing the pa-rts'in the positions due them prior to the Yclosing of the circuit; and

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of 'the oscillating contact-carrier.

In carrying out'my invention as herein shownl employ a substantially L-shaped operating-lever 10 folded from sheet-metal and having two arms 11 and'12 disposed at right angles with respect to each other. For the purpose of mounting the operating lever 10 with capacity for oscillating movement I fold outward from its, inner and outer edges two supporting-earsv 13 and 14 respectively, both of which are perforated for the reception of a stud 15 projecting rearward from a disk-like assembly-plate 16. The inner ear 13 bears against a spacing-washer 17 interposed between the same and the assembly-plate 16,`

while the outer ear 14 bears against a retaining-collar 18 mounted upon the vrear end of the stud 15 and held in place thereon by means of a bent'pin 19. j

The operating-lever 10 is preferably made 192e. serial No. 368,564.

ofiron or other magnetic material-and has its arm 11 extended adjacent the pole-piece 2O of the core 21 of an electro-magnet which is generally designated by the numeral 22.

The inner edge of the 'arm 12 of the operating-lever 10 is formed with an offsettingear 23 projecting forwardly through a clearance-opening 24 in the assembly-plate 16 and has pivotally secured to it by means of a rivet 25 a driving-pawl 26, the free end of which engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 27 which is connected in any approved manner to the time-train (not shown) of the electric clock, so as to effect the driving thereof under' the urge of a helical driving-spring 28. Ther-"id spring 28 has one end engaged wifi setting-inger29 of the pawl 26 and its opposite end hooked over a stud 30 projecting forwardly from the assembly-plate 16. The said driving-spring exerts a constant enort to swing the lever 10 in a clockwise direction and therefore through the pawl 26, to rotate the ratchet-wheel 27 in the same direction.

mounted upon a stud 37 offsetting from the Y assembly-plate 16 upon which itis retained by a washer 38 and a bentretaining-pin 39.

Upon its outer edge the contact-carrier'35 is contoured to form a circuit-closing camsurface-4O and a circuit-opening cam-surface 41 and a stop-shoulder 42, all of whichvco-act with the apex 43 of thek bentouter endyof a spring-detent 44 adjustably mounted in a studk 45 r"projecting QfromV the assemblyplate 16.4 1 l lThe oscillating contact-,carrier is folded rearward tof'forma' relatively-long contact- Y carryingarm 46 carrying at its outerfendlav contact47 adapted to co-act with a complementary stationary contact 48 carried at the outer end of a bowed spring-arm 49 secured to one of the two complementary liber endplates 50-50 of the electro-magnet 22.

One end 51 of the coil of the electro-magnet 22 is soldered to the arm 49 and the other end 52 of the coil of the said electro-magnet is soldered to a terminal-piece. 53 mounted upon the fiber end-plate of the magnet and is adapted to be engaged by any suitable contact-member mounted in the clock-case (not shown).

With the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the magnet 22 will be energized by current flowing from any appropriate terminal in the case (not shown) through the terminal-,piece 53 into the end 52 of the coil, thence through the coil proper and out throughthe end 51 thereof, through the contact-arm 49, contact 48, contact 47, contactcarrying arm 46 and thence back to the source of electrical energy through the oscillating contact-carrier and assembly-plate 16 which forms a ground.

As soon as the magnet is energized to sutiicient degree it will cause its pole-piece 2O to attract the armature-arm 11 of the operatinglever and hence swing the latter counterclockwise with the effect of snapping its actuating-finger 31 into engagement with the circuit-opening linger 33 of the contact-carrier so as to swing the said contact-carrier clockwise and thusdisengage the contact 47 from the stationary contact 48 to break the circuit.

As the contact-carrier 35 is sharply turned in a clockwise direction, as just above described, the circuit-closing cam-surface thereof will ride under the apex 43 of the spring-detent 44 until the said apex passes the high point at the junction of the camsurface 40 and the cam-surface 41. As soon as this, has been effected the apex 43 of the detent will ride down the circuit-opening camsurface 41 with the eect oit oscillating it clockwise in the event that the impulse which the contact-carrier 35 has received from the operating-lever has not been sufficient to fully effect the separation of the contacts 47 and 48.

The engagement of the apex 43 with the circuit-opening cam-surface 41 serves to yieldingly hold the said contact-carrier in its open-circuit position, while thev engagement o f the bent outer end of the detent 44 with the stop-shoulder 42 serves to limit the movement of the said contact-carrier in the counter-clockwise or circuit-opening direction. The parts will now occupy the positions shown in Fig. 4.

As the operating-lever is swung counterclockwise as above described, to effect the disengagement of the contact 47 from the Contact 48, the driving-pawl 26' will be caused to ratchet back over the teeth of the ratchet- Wheel 27 and secure a fresh grip thereupon and, at the same time, stretch and re-energize the driving-spring 28.

With the circuit broken and the drivingspring 28 energized as above described, the latter will act to swing the operating-lever 10 clockwise as the clock-movement (not shown) driven by the ratchet-wheel 27, slowly yields under the control of its escapement.

When the operating-lever 10 nearly reaches the limit of its swinging movement in a clockwise direction under the urge of the driving-spring 28, the actuating-finger 31 will engage the circuit-closing finger 34 of the contact-carrier 35 and slowly turn the same in a counter-clockwise direction with the effect of causing the apex 43 of the detent 44 to ride up the circuit-opening cam-surface 41.

When the high point at the junction of the cam-surface 41 and the cam-surface 40 has passed beneath the apex 43 at the outer end otthe detent 44 the pressure of the said detent upon the said cam-surface 40 will now cause the rapid movement of the contact-carrier 35 in a counter-cloclnvise direction with the effect of engaging the movable contact 47 with the stationary contact 48 and again closing the circuit (Fig. 4) through the coil 22 of the magnet to again swing the operating-lever 10 clockwise and break the circuit and re-energize the driving-spring Q8 for the beginning of another cycle of operation.

I claim:

In a contact-mechanism tor electric clocks, the combination with an L-shaped armature pivoted between its ends and having one end bent into L-shaped form to provide an offset contact-actuating linger lying in a plane parallel with the adjacent portion of the armature; of a pivotal sheet-metal contact-carrier folded to form a plate-portion lying in the plane of the clock-structure to which it is pivoted and an integral contact-carrying arm lying in a plane at a right angle thereto and mounting a movable contact, the said plateportion being formed with a relatively-wide notch receiving the offset contact-actuating finger of the said armature and providing a lostmotion connection therewith; aA second contact positioned to be engaged by the said movable contact; spring-pressed means constructed and arranged to swing the said contact-carrier into its circuit-closing position after such movement has been initiated by the ofset contact-actuating finger of the said armature.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ELOF L. CARLSON. 

